Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1887-02-11
STORIES OF THE. VICTIMS.
How Henry w. Tewksbury Escaped from
the Wreck.

Mr.. Henry W. Tewtsbury of West Ran
dolph, Vt, says that he was in the first
/ day coach. He was doing at the time of
the accident, but was aroused by feeling
/ the car jumping upon the railroad ties.
He had been in two railroad accidents
before this one, and knew what the sen
sation portended. Sealizing that an &C
cident was about to occur, he Jumped
/ from his seat with the intention of making
his escape. The train seemed to come
to standstill or 90 very slow. He
| thought it was all right and so sat down
again. Then, without moments
warning that anything further was to oc-
cur, the car seemed to leap into space,
and then came terrible crash For a
moment he was stunned, and hardly knew
/ whether he was dead or alive. He tried
/ TO move, but found ne could not bulge an
inch. He noticed with great alarm that
fire had broken out at the further end of
the car. He struggled withal his strength
TO free himself, and screamed for help but
there was no one at hand to help him II
| was a time Of mental torture, but still he
could not help noticing an old couple who
We're few seats above him. They sought
to get out, but they were hopeessly tied
/ down by heavy seats. The flames ap-
! preached the couple with frghtful rapid
| ty,.and the aged pair seemed to feel that
saw OF them they were locked in each
others arms and in the act of kissing
| The smoke and flames now enveloped
them, hiding them from view
Mr.. IeWksbury then gave himself up
Tor lost. He seized his fur cap and wound
it around his face so as to cover the eyes
and hide the dreadful view of approach
ing death. At this time the railroad
| bridge above him was one mass of fire and
neavy burning timbers were falling all
ABOVE MIN. Having leaned back resigned
| ~ 10 meet what seemed his fearful fate
his hopes of life We're renewed by hearing
| voices. He unwound his fur cap and saw
the engineer and fireman close at hand
He called to them frantically for assist
ance' which they protiered at once. Seiz-
ing hold of him his rescuers sought to
pull him out, but failed. Thinking that
his was a hopeless case, they were about
TO leave him and help others, but be beg
ged them to try again, and to break his
leg II necessary. They did So and man
aged to get him out, breaking the leg and
close upon Mr. Tewksbury that his cloth
ing was was burned from his body.
PRAYER AT THE GATE OF DEATH.
A travelling salesman for New York
house Mr.. Frank Winch. SAYS that while
he, with other survivors, was engaged in
releasing the unfortunates, they came to
a young woman, whose attire indicated
wealth, and whose face was strikingly
beautiful She was pinned down by heavy
| timbers which had fallen across her
breast. Her position was near the point
! where the flames first appeared and as
! she realized the approach OF her awful
/ doom, she uttered the most frightful cries,
pleading for help with every breath. As
| the flames gathered fury and drew nearer
/ she suddenly became strangely calm, and
! Gaining upon inca, who WAS struggling
with others to free her, to come nearer
she calmly admitted tnHt she realized the
! nearuesS of her end. She asked Winch to
pray with her and he knelt on the ice and
prayed, while she meanwhile il. low
| tone followed his supplicatlon. 1t was
fearful scene, the grOans and shrieks of
| the wounded, the mass of ruins in the
midst of snow and ice, with the light from
! the burning, cracking timberS throwing
| a lurid glare over the scene When the
! lre had come so near that the lady had to
be left to her fate, Winch withdrew to
save himself, and turned his head away to
avoid the horrible sight. The woman was
burned to an unrecognlzaDle mass
THE DEATH OF MAGNET.
The heartrending particulars of the
death of Magnet, the Frenchman. who
was travelling home to Canada with his
!
three seats behind his father in the third
car from the rear, He was doing in his
seat when be felt the car shlver. This
motion was kept up for few seconds, and
| then the car dashed over the bridge upon
the ice. BY hard work the boy got ont of
one or the car windows and at once went
IN search OF his father. He discovered
him by the light Of the burning wreckage
just above him, pinned down by part of
the top of the car which had fallen direct
ly across his chest and legs The old man
was as firmly held as though in a wise
The boy hastened to his fathers assist
ance and spoke words of announcement
to him. He seized his father and strug
gled with all his strength to eXtrcate
him, but in vain. The flames were APP
preaching rapidly. Joseph" said the
father, run and get an AK or a saw" But
the boy could not find either. Pull me
out, then said the father, "even if you |
have to break my legs to do it," Joseph |
tugged away with all his might, but |
could not stir his father an inch With |
wonderful GOODNESS the father gave him
self up to his fate. Its no use, my
boy" he said, There is no hope for me.
Leave me and save youself. But remem-
Der the dying words of your father, al |
ways be good boy. Farewell my son |
Will meet you in the other world" The |
flames were then so close at hand that the |
boy could remain no longer He left his |
flames, and watched his parent slowly |
burn 10 death.
BRAKEMAN PARKERs LEAP.
The spot where Brakeman Parker |
jumped from the tram, just before it |
reached the bridge, is about as forbidding |
Il point for leap as could well be found. |
The embankment, slopIng down to the |
river bank is very high, and the descent |
is rough, and dotted here and there with |
trees said the hardly fellow, II would |
never have lived through it had not the |
snow been deep. | felt the car leave the |
rails. | knew that few rods more would |
take us on the high bridge, so | jumped |
Tor my life. ] went flying through the air |
and struck on my feet and back. | bound |
ed past tree with narrow shave and !
finally brought up at the bottom. found |
that could walk and carried the news |
back to White River junction. 1t was a .
pretty tough jump, but am mighty clad |